Due to the rise in the number of cases of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the U.P. government informed on Wednesday for sealing all COVID-19 hotspots in the 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh till 15 April. All the districts of U.P. with the number of cases 60 or more have been sealed with the urge to prevent the spread of the virus. The delivery of all the essential items will be made directly to their homes and no shops whether grocery or vegetable selling markets shall be opened.
Shishir, Director of Information Shishir said that, “All coronavirus hotspots in 15 districts will be completely sealed till April 15 morning. Only home delivery will be allowed. These are places where a number of cases have been found”.
The districts that have been sealed are “Gautambuddh Nagar (Noida), Ghaziabad, Meerut, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Shamli, Firozabad, Bulandhshahr, Bareilly, Basti, Maharajganj and Sitapur, Kanpur”.
Out of the 410 cases of Uttar Pradesh, 245 cases have found links with the assembly held at Markaz, Nizamuddin by the Tablighi Jamaat.
Awanish Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary-Home Department informed that previously this complete lockdown with restriction on shops and grocery store opening was enforced in some areas of Agra and it has given good results.
After the announcement several people stepped out for purchasing goods and start forming queues outside the grocery stores and in the markets. A local resided of Latouche road of U.P. showed his concern by saying, “How do we know they will allow us to purchase even food items or medicines from tomorrow”.
Amit Mohan, a senior health official of U.P. told media, that those who step out of the house have to wear face masks or cover their face.
Delhi government also declared sealing of 30 hotspots of Delhi with the immediate effect as the number of cases in country has reached up-to 7,447 and the death counts so far has reached to 239.
